The General Motors Diet, also known as the GM Diet, promises to help you lose 10 to 17 pounds (4.5 to 7.7 kg) in just 7 days. Is the GM Diet safe? How does it work? Here’s everything you need to know about the GM Diet.
What is the GM Diet?
Before we can decide whether or not the GM Diet is safe to use, we need to know what the GM Diet is. The General Motors Diet is one of many diet plans. Sound familiar? Yes, General Motors is the same American company that manufactures cars.
Why was the General Motors diet created? It was said that GM Diet was created in the late 1980s to keep the company’s employees healthy and in shape. However, there is lack of evidence to verify this, so the origins of this diet remains unknown.
Unfortunately, obesity has become a health issue not only in the United States, but also in many countries worldwide. The GM diet plan is advertised to reduce at least 10 pounds (about 4.5 kg) per week while helping the body and mind detox.
How to do the GM Diet
The General Motors diet is a 7-day plan. The basic principle of the GM Diet is to only eat as many calories or less than what you burn in a day, like many other diets.
If you are a vegetarian, there is an alternative GM diet plan. The plan is fairly strict but straightforward. It does not require elaborate preparation or tedious measurements each day. However, it helps to plan ahead and stock your fridge accordingly. It is also important to drink at least 6 glasses of water each day while on the GM Diet.
Day 1
Fruit, fruit, and more fruit! Eat fresh fruit with high water content, such as watermelons, apples, and citrus fruits. Avoid overly sweet fruit such as ripe bananas and mangos, as these fruits are high in calories. No need to measure or count anything because you can eat as much fruit as you want.
Day 2
Vegetables take the stage today. Start off the day with a small baked or boiled potato (you can also use kamote or sweet potato). This single starchy vegetable will be the main source of carbohydrates for the day. For the rest of the day, you can freely eat green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, and onions. These are all good sources of vitamins and fiber.
Day 3
You can have both vegetables and fruits now. Avoid high-sugar and high-starch food such as bananas and potatoes. Continue to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day.
Day 4
You’re halfway through! Now is the time for the “wonder soup,” which is really just a savory vegetable broth. In addition, you are expected to eat 8 bananas and drink 3 glasses of skim or low-fat milk within the day.
Day 5
If you haven’t noticed, the previous days did not include any meat. On day 5, you can eat 20 ounces (about 567 grams) of beef, chicken, or fish. This amount should be divided into 2 meals. Include tomatoes for more fiber and vitamins.
If you are vegetarian, your alternatives are cottage cheese (or other types of cheese) and brown rice. Also include tomatoes in your meals for today. Don’t forget to drink water!
Day 6
Combine the menus from days 2 and 5, but do not eat tomatoes or potatoes. For vegetarians, substitute the animal meat for cheese. Eat as many vegetables and drink as much water as you can.
Day 7
Finally, the last day of the diet plan. On this day eat vegetables and fruits. You can also have some brown rice. Increase your water intake today to help with detoxing and hydration.
Is the GM Diet safe?
Interestingly enough, the current General Motors website and company do not publicly acknowledge the GM Diet and official data is scarce. Most of the information readily available online about the GM Diet is anecdotal. That doesn’t give us a lot of confidence in whether or not the GM Diet is safe.
Like all diets targeted toward losing weight, consuming less calories than you use up is important. While some diets and eating plans recommend cutting calories down or even fasting, it is simply unrealistic to expect to lose 10 pounds (roughly 4.5 kg) or more in one week. Health experts recommend losing half a pound to up to 2 pounds (a little under 1 kg) per week for safe weight loss and better long-term effects.
The danger of the GM Diet is that the daily calories and the macro and micronutrients are not accounted for. Not to mention there are supposedly “no limits” on what you can eat on certain days. This makes it easier to overeat and gain weight.
The GM diet is not safe for children, pregnant or lactating mothers, and the elderly. It is not designed to be a permanent diet solution. If you follow the GM diet for several weeks, you will likely become malnourished due to the imbalance of macro and micronutrients.
Key takeaways
In conclusion, the General Motors diet is not the ideal diet for long-term weight loss and health. While it may have been used before, there are other, more sustainable diet plans out there.
If you are looking to lose a few pounds and get into better shape, it is best to consult your doctor and registered dietitian. They will be able to determine achievable goals for your body and help you make healthier food and lifestyle choices.
Learn more about Healthy Eating here.
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